The second quarter became a seesaw battle as both sides played a tough defence. China scored 14 points from the paint in the quarter and tied the game 29-all by the half-time whistle.

After the break, the Chinese cagers had a 7-2 run to start the second half where Yi Jianlian and Guo Ailun opened fire for 26 points. The gap was widened to 51-41 by the end of the third quarter.

During the final quarter, the West African side geared up to cut the deficit, but China kept the double-digit lead and closed the game with a 15-point advantage.

"I didn't realize that our opponents had such great physical strength before the match. But we stayed patient and took the big opening win," said 26-year-old point guard Guo.

"Every single game is crucial for us. Poland is a strong team. They are better than Cote d'Ivoire if looked at overall. We need to prepare for more difficulties in that game," added Li Nan.

China will play against Poland in the second round of the tournament on Monday.